The present invention relates to a exterior cap of transfer set for peritoneal dialysis, and more particularly, to a exterior cap of transfer set for peritoneal dialysis which prevents exogenous infection of a peritoneal dialysis patient through a peritoneal transfer set by being hermetically coupled to an end connector of a peritoneal transfer set connected with an interperitonal catheter of the patient.
Referring to the background of Korean Patent No. 0539411, patients with acute and chronic renal failure generally need to receive one of three types of treatments, that is, peritoneal dialysis, hemodialysis, and kidney transplant. Although kidney transplant of those treatments is the most effective and sure treatment, there is a need for a donor of a kidney first and the operation is complicated, so a small number of patient can receive the benefits of kidney transplant and most patients with renal failure receive peritoneal dialysis or hemodialysis. Peritoneal dialysis, which has been developed at the end of 1970s has the advantage that the fee is lower than that of hemodialysis and patient can perform peritoneal dialysis by themselves even at home and office or during journey, such that patients are increasingly taking peritoneal dialysis.
Peritoneal dialysis (CAPD) is a treatment of putting a catheter in the peritoneal cavity of a patient and injecting a dialysate mainly composed of glucose and electrolyte into the peritoneal cavity through the catheter so that waste products or water in the blood is discharged outside through the peritoneum of the patient by an osmotic action.
In general, for patients who undergo peritoneal dialysis, a dialysate of about 2 liters is injected at a time, left in a peritoneal cavity for about 6 to 8 hours, and then replaced with a new dialysate. The catheter in the peritoneal cavity of a patient is connected with a dialysis kit with a dialysate therein through an end connector of a peritoneal transfer set and the patient has to repeat the process of connecting and disconnecting the peritoneal transfer set and the dialysis kit with a dialysate therein at least four times or more a day.
Accordingly, the end connector of the peritoneal transfer set may be infected by microorganisms in the air or the patient's hands. Such infection may cause fatal peritonitis to patients, so a disposable exterior cap with a disinfectant therein is hermetically connected to the end connector of the peritoneal transfer set while the end connector is not connected with a dialysis kit in order to prevent exogenous infection of patients. Accordingly, safety for patient against exogenous infection is ensured.
However, recently, peritoneal dialysis patients due to a chronic disease in peritoneal dialysis patients have been rapidly increasing and the case due to diabetic nephropathy of the patients is over 50% and diabetic retinopathy accompanies in most cases. Peritoneal dialysis patients accompanied by diabetic retinopathy are accompanied by altered vision, such that they have difficulty in connecting the exterior cap to the end connector of a peritoneal transfer set connected to a peritoneal cavity by themselves.